Wood finishing methods



Dec. 18, 1962 J. M. BERRY 3,

woon FINISHING METHODS Filed May 20, 1959 SANDED WOOD APPLY GLAZE (FIXING AGENT WITH COLOR MAT'L) DRY APPLY PIGMENTED FILLER-SEALER DISPERSION APPLY CLEAR'IK FILLER-SEALER CURE TO HARD NESS APP LY TOP COATS INVENTOR. JOHN M. BERRY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflfice 3,069,290 WOOD FINISHING METHODS John M. Berry, Martinsville, Va., assignor to Midland ghiemical Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of e aware Filed May 20, 1959, Ser. No. 814,536 4 Claims. (Cl. 117-72) This invention relates to wood finishing systems in which the Wood is provided with a surface adapted for the decoration and preservation of the wood. More specifically the invention relates to a novel method of finishing wood in such a manner as to greatly accentuate differences in coloration between the pore and flake areas of the Wood while achieving great economy in the procedure.

A particular improvement contemplated by this invention is the provision of a wood finishing procedure which utilizes Water as a solvent for the components of the system but which entirely eliminates many of the operations normally attendant the use of water stains. Specifically the invention provides an improvement which eliminates the necessity for wiping, including wiping of the filler into the wood.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 814,535, filed May 20, 1959,.1 have described a system for attaining with aqueous materials contrasting colorations on the wood and without raising the wood grain. While that system materially reduces labor costs over conventional systems it did employ a rag wiping operation after application of a glaze; the eifect of this wiping operation in a Sea Foam finish was to provide in the pores of the wood a dark stain while the wiping removed the dark stain from the wood flake. This wiping was not extensive but nevertheless represented an operation which is was desira-ble to eliminate. After the wiping a filler-sealer coat was applied and this was cured to a hard film, which received the usual finish coats.

In the practice of the present invention I have achieved the objective of elimination of the wiping operation by very lightly applying a first coloring material which is caused to flow into the wood pores. While this first color material does also tint the flake areas the concentration in the pores apparently is much greater.

A second contrasting coloring material is then sprayed lightly over the firstthe flake then becomes the color of this second material but the pore areas are only slightly afiected and retain the coloration first applied. The spray of this second material is sufliciently light that the pores are not filled. For example, with a Sea Foam finish a light spray of an aqueous dark stain, such as umber, is first applied, followed by a light spray of an aqueous pigmented material, such as a titanium dioxide containing component. The umber in the pores is exposed through the second material while the areas of K lesser concentration of the umber are quite completely obscured by the pigmented and second composition. The pigmented composition is preferably quite dilute.

Over the dried film of the second material there is applied a clear coating of a filler-sealer composition; the purpose of thisfiller-sealer is to completely fill the wood pores and to provide =when cured a hard transparent film.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying flow sheet and to the detailed example set out hereinafter.

As illustrated in the flow sheet to produce a black and white finish (Sea Foam) the sanded wood suitably has first applied thereto a spray of a film forming fixing agent carrying a stain. This spray is a relatively light one, such that the pores are partially filled, the stain tending to concentrate in the pores of the wood rather I 3,069,299 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 The above are mixed together with simple agitation and the following is added:

H 5 liq. ounces (9.5 oz. av.). H 5 liq. ounces (5 oz. av.). Mono-butyl ether of diethylene glycol (Butyl Carbi V bitol) 5 liq. ounces (5 oz. av.). Boric acid 1.25 oz. av.

I The formulation given yields 5 gallons of fixing agent, the components dissolving readily in the water.

Then burnt umber is added to the extent of about 8 ounces per gallon of Fixing Agent A to provide the stained fixing agent.

This fixing agent is dried on the wood; then a light spray of a dilute but rather heavily pigmented fillersealer is applied over the wood. The pigment, TiO in the present instance, obscures the fixing agent film on the wood flake but is insufficient to obscure the fixing agent in the pores where fixing agent concentration. is greater. The filler-sealer is prepared as follows:

Filler-Sealer A Urea formaldehyde 15#.

Water 2 gal. (16.6#).

These were mixed with simple agitation. Then mix Sugar (sucrose) 7#.

Water 0.5 .gal (4.1#).

and add to the resin solution the sugar solution.

Five gallons of the last named solution were then modified with:

Mono-butyl ether of ethylene glycol (Butyl Cellosolve) Amyl acetate Mono-butyl ether of diethylene glycol (Butyl Carbitol) l liq. ounce (1 02. av.).

The Butyl Carbitol and acetate are suitably mixed separately and added to the Butyl Cellosolve.

The batch volume is about 5.5 gal.

The Filler-Sealer A is pigmented as follows:

3 pints (4.3 oz. av.). 2 liq. ounces (1.7 oz. av.).

Pigmented Filler-Sealer Filler-Sealer A 1 gal. Titanium dioxide 4#. Water 1 gal. (8.3#).

then oven dried for to minutes at about 110 F. This results in a hard, translucent film through which the darkened pore areas and the white flake areas are clearly visible.

Protective finish coats are then applied to the cured product in the usual manner; these protective finishes may be constituted of three coats of a nitro-cellulose lacquer; or alternatively urea-alkyd varnishes or natural resin varnishes may be applied.

The specific procedure described provides, with a minimum of labor, the desired color contrast of the Sea-Foam finish; even rag wiping as well as procedures of conventional systems are eliminated. Such eliminated procedures, it is to be noted, include wash coating, brushing out, padding in, removal of filler excess, shading and similar operations. Accordingly the total man-hours of work is reduced and in addition the necessity for having a plurality of operators available for such operations as brushing and padding is avoided.

The principal functions of the fixing agent-stain are: to provide in the pores of the wood a greater concentration of the stain relative to the wood flake; the sugar provides for partial pore filling and contributes to the viscosity adequate for spraying and to fixing agent film formation; boric acid and aluminum sulfate serve to inhibit against raising of the grain of the wood and with sulfuric acid act as catalysts for the polymerization of the resin (urea formaldehyde) of the filler-sealer; the sulfuric acid increases the rate of cure.

The Butyl Carbitol and Butyl Cellosolve serve as spreading agents; suitable spreading agents include the monobutyl ether of diethylene glycol (Butyl Carbitol) and the mono-butyl ether of ethylene glycol (Butyl Cellosolve).

Control of the flow in the wetting properties of the vehicle is, of course, particularly desirable in connection with spray application, and it is considered that the alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol also serve to some extent in the prevention of grain raising.

Urea formaldehyde itself serves the dual function of filling and sealing as well as insolubilizing. A particularly suitable urea formaldehyde is that marketed as a dry partially polymerizable powder having a particle size of about 30 mesh. Other characteristics of one such suitable resin include a Stormer viscosity of 20-70 r.p.m. at 21 C. (50 grams of water plus 100 grams of the resin); a gel time of F. of -140 minutes grams of the resin and 50 grams 4% ammonium chloride solution).

The reacted urea formaldehyde forms a hard transparent insoluble surface which is receptive to the application of the usual finish lacquer top coats, through which the contrasting black and white areas are coated in the manner of the usual Sea Foam finishes.

The fixing agent is in effect a glaze having a coloring material which is darker than the pigment of the aqueous resinous dispersion; the tendency of the glaze to concentrate in the pores permits the pore areas to retain substantially the color provided by the glaze while the flake areas are obscured by the pigment.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating wood surfaces to provide the same with at least two contrasting colorations, said method pf burnt umber admixed with boric acid, alum, sugar and sulfuric acid dissolved in water, drying the resultant stained Wood, then applying thereover a pigmented fillersealer comprising urea formaldehyde, sugar, pigment and organic solvent, drying the thus treated wood, and applying thereover a portion of said filler-sealer which is clear and unpigmented, and drying the clear filler-sealer coated wood to produce a hard, translucent film having a contrasting background of dark stained area.

2. A method of treating wood surfaces to provide the same with at least two contrasting colorations, said method comprising applying thereto an aqueous stain consisting of burnt umber admixed with boric acid, alum, sugar and sulfuric acid dissolved in water, drying the resultant stained wood, then applying thereover a pigmented fillersealer comprising urea formaldehyde, sugar, pigment consisting of titanium dioxide, and organic solvent, drying the thus treated wood, and applying thereover a portion of said filler-sealer which is clear and unpigmented, and drying the clear filler-sealer coated wood to produce a hard, translucent film having a contrasting background of dark stained area.

3. A method of treating wood surfaces to provide the same with at least two contrasting colorations, said method comprising applying thereto an aqueous stain consisting of burnt umber admixed with boric acid, alum, sugar and sulfuric acid dissolved in water, drying the resultant stained wood, then applying thereover a pigmented filler-sealer comprising urea formaldehyde, sugar, pigment, and organic solvent, drying the thus treated wood, and applying thereover a portion of said filler-sealer which is clear and unpigmented, and drying the clear filler-sealer coated wood to produce a hard, translucent film having a contrasting background of dark stained areas, said organic solvent comprising monobutyl ether of ethylene glycol and amylacetate.

4. A method of treating wood surfaces to provide the same with at least two contrasting colorations, said method comprising applying thereto an aqueous stain consisting of burnt umber admixed with boric acid, alum, sugar and sulfuric acid dissolved in water, drying the resultant stained wood, then applying thereover a pigmented fillersealer comprising urea formaldehyde, sugar, pigment consisting of titanium dioxide, and organic solvent, drying the thus treated wood, and applying thereover a pigmented filler-sealer comprising urea formaldehyde, sugar, pigment, and organic solvent, drying the thus treated wood, and applying thereover a portion of said filler-sealer which is clear and unpigmented, and drying the clear filler-sealer coated wood to produce a hard, translucent film having a contrasting background of dark stained areas, said organic solvent comprising monobutyl ether of ethylene glycol and amylacetate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,548,528 Hiltz Aug. 4, 1925 2,015,806 Menger Oct. 1, 1935 2,271,212 Tenger Jan. 27, 1942 2,630,395 McCullough et al Mar. 3, 1953 2,817,620 Golick et al Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 688,198 Great Britain Mar. 4, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Wood Finishing, Vanderwalker, Drake & Co., 1944, page 340. 

1. A METHOD OF TREATING WOOD SURFACES TO PROVIDE THE SAME WITH AT LEAST TWO CONSTRASTING COLORATIONS, SAID METHOD 